Ankle supports

ABSTRACT

An inelastic, flexible strap secured under tension to an annular band surrounding the lower portion of an ankle of an athlete and bearing against the upper portions of the foot and heel bears snugly against the cuboid portion of the foot and limits inward roll of the foot to prevent outside sprain.

United States Patent 1 Wise [ Dec. 11, 1973 ANKLE SUPPORTS [76] Inventor: Elmo E. Wise, 138 Hicks Rd., Castle Rock, Wash. 98611 [22] Filed: Nov. 29, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 202,898

[52] 0.8. CI. 128/166 [51] Int. Cl. A611 13/06 [58] Field of Search 128/166, 165, 166.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,013,757 9/1935 Jung, Jr. 128/166 3,383,708 5/1968 Pappas 128/166 X 1,030,861 7/1912 Anderson 128/166 1,443,844 1/1923 Jensen 128/166 2,708,930 5/1955 Lowman 128/l66.5 X 2,539,170 1/1951 Waite et al. l28/166.5

Primary Examiner-Lucie H. Laudenslager AttorneyStephen W. Blore et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT An inelastic, flexible strap secured under tension to an annular band surrounding the lower portion of an ankle of an athlete and bearing against the upper portions of the foot and heel bears snugly against the euboid portion of the foot and limits inward roll of the foot to prevent outside sprain.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Pmmmnzc n ma 3.777. 751

- sum 2 or 2 ANKLE SUPPORTS This invention relates to ankle supports, and more particularly to quickly appliable ankle supports.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved ankle supports.

Another object of the invention is to provide quickly appliable ankle supports.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple, inexpensive ankle supports which positively limit inward roll (outside sprain) of feet to prevent ankle sprains. i I

A further object of the invention is to provide onepiece, inelastic, flexible ankle supports, which prevent inward and/or outward roll offeet.

The invention provides ankle supports for a person of which each ankle'support includes an annular band of flexible, inelastic material bearing against the portions of the foot and the heel just below the ankle and an inelastic strap' secured to the band and to the leg 'above the ankle under tension in a position engaging the underside and cuboid portion of' the foot to prevent inward roll of the foot beyond a predetermined extent.

in the Drawings: I

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an ankle supporter forming one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the ankle supporter I of FIG. 1 on a foot;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the ankle supporter of FIG. I; 7

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and, i

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation view of an ankle supporter forming an. alternate embodiment of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 an ankle supporter 10 forming one embodiment of the invention including a tapered or flared, collar-like annular band 12 and a tongue or strap 14. The ankle supporter 110 is not handed. That is, it can be used for either the right foot or the left foot,

andinside or outside, of the person using it, and is shown in FIGS; 2, 3, and 4 on the outside of a left foot 16 of the user. The user slips his foot 16 through the band 12 of the ankle supporter, pulls the band down to the position thereof shown in FIGS. 2 to .4 with the tongue at the inner side of the foot and the band engaging the outer side of the ankle l7 and the upper portions of the foot and the heel. The tongue then is passed under the arch and cuboid portion 18 of the foot, is pulled taut upwardly and is adhesively taped by a tape 19 to the outer side of the lower portion 20, above the articulating point of the ankle, of the leg of the user. Taping of the tongue, while under tension, to the leg up above the ankle, in effect, attaches the cuboid portion 18, the underside of the foot, and the inner side of the foot, including the heel, to the leg above the ankle through an inelastic tendon, thereby permitting the foot to roll inwardly counter-clockwise, as viewedin 2 a safe extent does not appreciably prevent all other flexing of the ankle.

Each of the'band l2 and strapl4 preferably is composed of a thin, strong, flexible, inelastic woven tape or webbing, one excellent webbing being of a cotton web with a herring bone weave and about 2 inches wide. The band l2'may be of single or double thickness with end corner portions 30 and 32' (FIG. 1) fully overlapped, at right angles to each other and secured together and to end portions 34 and 36 of the tongue by cross-stitching38. The tongue is of double thickness with the two layers secured together by stitching 40 at the edge'portions thereof with'the two end portions being at opposite faces of the band.

EMBODIMENT OF FIG. 5

7 An ankle supporter 50 forming an alternate embodiment of the invention is of one-piece construction of a web or tape 51 having a tapered, shirt collar-like, band portion 52 and a tongue portion 54. End portion 56 is releasably secured to fastening portion 58 by velcro fasteners secured to these portions and with the end portion 56 positioned under and retained by the portion 58. If desired, the outer side of portion 60 of the band and the portion of the tongue crossing the portion 60 may have fasteners such as, for example, velcro fasteners'or flat hooks and eyes. It is also contemplated to have a supporter comprising a fastened gauntlet or collar on the leg just above the ankle and a wide tongue or band passing under the foot and secured under tension tothe gauntlet.

If desired, to hold a loose, injured ankle joint close for healing, two of thesupporters 10 or 50 may be used on the foot, one with its tongue taped under tension on the outer side of the leg foot and the other with its tongue taped under tension to the inner side of the leg. This pulls the ankle tight or close and prevents separation during healing thereof.

What is claimed is: 1. In an ankle supporter, an annular inelastic tape-like band positioned on the leg and bearingagainst the outer side-of the portion of the leg above the heel and arch portions of the foot,

and an inelastic tape-like tongue attached at one end to the portion of the band at the inner side of the leg and substantially centered relative to the band and passed directly down from and substantially centered relative to the ankle and secured under tension to tbe outer side of the leg directly above the articulating point of the ankle to form a tensioned outer tendon holding the foot against rolling inwardly.

2. The ankle supporter of claim 1 including securing means securing the tongue under tension to the portion of the leg above the articulating point of the ankle.

3. The ankle supporter of claim 2 wherein the securing means comprises adhesive tape.

4. The ankle supporter of claim 1 wherein the band is a web having end portions securedto the tongue angularly crossing over one another.

5. The ankle supporter of claim 4 wherein the band and the tongue are a single tape with releasable securing portions at the crossover portion of the band.

- 6. The ankle supporter of claim 4 wherein the tongue is a double tape with end portions secured to the crossover portion of the band at opposite sides of the band.

3 4 7. The ankle supporter of claim 6 including stitching 10. The ankle support of claim 1 wherein the band is Secunng the tongue to the bandtapered and collar-like so that it does not bunch when 8. The ankle support of claim 4 wherein the end portions of the band cross over each other at about 90.

9. The ankle support of claim 1 wherein the band is the heelsufficiently large to be passed over the foot of the user.

snuggled down on the upper portions of the foot and 

1. In an ankle supporter, an annular inelastic tape-like band positioned on the leg and bearing against the outer side of the portion of the leg above the heel and arch portions of the foot, and an inelastic tape-like tongue attached at one end to the portion of the band at the inner side of the leg and substantially centered relative to the band and passed directly down from and substantially centered relative to the ankle and secured under tension to tbe outer side of the leg directly above the articulating point of the ankle to form a tensioned outer tendon holding the foot against rolling inwardly.
 2. The ankle supporter of claim 1 including securing means securing the tongue under tension to the portion of the leg above the articulating point of the ankle.
 3. The ankle supporter of claim 2 wherein the securing means comprises adhesive tape.
 4. The ankle supporter of claim 1 wherein the band is a web having end portions secured to the tongue angularly crossing over one another.
 5. The ankle supporter of claim 4 wherein the band and the tongue are a single tape with releasable securing portions at the crossover portion of the band.
 6. The ankle supporter of claim 4 wherein the tongue is a double tape with end portions secured to the crossover portion of the band at opposite sides of the band.
 7. The ankle supporter of claim 6 including stitching securing the tongue to the band.
 8. The ankle support of claim 4 wherein the end portions of the band cross over each other at about 90*.
 9. The ankle support of claim 1 wherein the band is sufficiently large to be passed over the foot of the user.
 10. The ankle support of claim 1 wherein the band is tapered and collar-like so that it does not bunch when snuggled down on tbe upper portions of the foot and the heel. 